Dear Editor,
I have enjoyed the lively debate that the East Tennessean has been having about the war in Iraq. Nevertheless, I have noticed that neither those on the left or right are willing to accept the consequences of the war, and take a responsible viewpoint. It might surprise many that a liberal, Hillary Clinton supporter, like me, is opposed to withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. This is because I believe in responsibility, and as Americans, we are responsible for this war, and we must live with the consequences.
Iraq is in a state of chaos, with the U.S. military being the only source of law and order. How can we withdraw our troops in such a state of turmoil? If we leave, and thus fail, in Iraq, the least of my worries is Iraq becoming a stronghold for terrorists (like pre-9/11 Afghanistan). What I worry about is the eminent civil war that will undoubtedly break out in Iraq once our troops withdraw, resulting in the possibility of millions of deaths. I worry about religious and ethnic cleansing on the part of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds against one another, leading to a possible all-out genocide, with the potential to leave scores dead. I worry about the conflict in Iraq spilling over into Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria or Jordan, leading to a regional war and conflict. Above all else, I worry about the innocent, everyday Iraqis who cannot send their children to school without the fear of a roadside bomb, and I worry about those Iraqis who cannot go to the market to buy bread without the fear of a suicide bombing. How can we expect democracy to grow in a land where people fear for their lives every day and every night?
As long as U.S. troops are the only means of protecting Iraqi civilians, then we must stay. Iraq would not be in the state of chaos and terror that it is in now if the United States had not invaded and occupied the country, therefore we, as Americans, are responsible for these events. We must stay until the Iraqi government can sufficiently protect its people from violence and crime. Of course, if the American military cannot protect them sufficiently, what hope does the Iraqi army or police have? The solution in Iraq is a social and political solution, which our government is so unwilling to pursue.
I look forward to further commentary upon the war from the East Tennessean from conservatives, liberals and moderates alike, but let us remember our responsibility to the Iraqi people.
Thank You,
—Michael Sheffield

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